A Winding Road Not A Straight Path
by gothraven89
Summary: Bruce and Clark are in a relationship and things are actually going well, until Clark somehow gets sick, leading to some startling revelations regarding Kryptonian biology. Clark disappears, Bruce is left heartbroken and angry, and its Damian who finds Clark, gets some much needed answers and sets things on the path to reconciliation. Warning: Mpreg


Disclaimer: I do not own any of the rights to the DC Universe or any of its characters. They are all property of DC Comics and their creators. I am not making any kind of profit off of this work, it is all just for fun.

Warning: Strong sexual content. Apologies if anyone seems OOC.

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A Winding Road Not A Straight Path

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Clark hummed quietly to himself as he stood before his kitchen sink and scrubbed at the dishes that he had accumulated. He could easily have finished the task in the blink of an eye, he was faster than a speeding bullet according to some after all. He elected to simply do this menial task at a sedate pace because he was in no rush. It was the end of a rather normal, but good day.

He had gotten to work on time for once, Perry had actually been in an okay mood and only done the minimal chewing out and barking at everyone. He had gotten to enjoy lunch with Lois and Jimmy. There had only been a simple apartment fire that had needed his attention as Superman. He had managed to get all of the residents out, put out the blaze with his freezing breathe, and had gotten back to the Daily Planet in time to still make his deadlines for the day.

The day had winded down into night, and even then there are been no urgent disaster that had needed his intervention, even when he took a listen around the world, there had been no desperate cries for his help, just the everyday troubles that people could get through on their own. With this rather rare night off, Clark had not really known what to do with himself. He could have gone out flying or continued to use his civilian persona as gone to a bar or out to dinner like so many other people. He could have invited Lois or Jimmy even.

Instead, he had simply gone home, changed into his most comfortable pair of sweatpants and a simple white T-shirt, ordered some Korean take out and stayed in. He did use his Justice League Communicator to talk to some of the other League members while he waited for his food to arrive. Diana had informed him that she had just foiled a robbery attempt at the Louvre, while Barry had animately described his run in with Captain Cold and Heatwave that had left the pair of super-thieves practically gift wrapped for the police and The Flash himself jonesing for some of his favorite veggie burritos. Clark had shared a good laugh with his friends and wished them a good night when his door bell had rung, signaling the arrival of his dinner.

He had enjoyed his bibimbap and watched some mindless TV. Now was the cleanup before he called it a night. Clark finished cleaning the dishes and wiped down his kitchen counters and his dining table before he padded across living room and shut the lights.

Still feeling a bit restless for some reason, Clark made his way down the darkened hallway towards his bedroom, having it in mind to maybe go to the bathroom and take a nice hot shower before bed to relax or something. He had just crossed the threshold into the room when a familiar, steady heartbeat caught his sensitive hearing. Before he could properly process, there was a light tapping on the glass of his bedroom window. Clark turned and felt a small jolt go through him when he saw a familia, cowl covered figure perched on his fire escape.

" B." Clark whispered to himself as he quickly made his way over to the window and undid the latch to let his unexpected but not unwelcome visitor inside.

He knew full well that Bruce could have easily just made his way inside with his own dexterity, but such was the politeness of his late night visitor that he had opted to simply wait for Clark to let him in.

Once Clark pushed the window open, Batman wordlessly made his way into the Kryptonian's bedroom, Clark watching his movements, silently admiring the inherent grace the Dark Knight possessed in even the simplest step. Once the tall and imposing vigilante was inside, Clark pulled the window shut and gave his late night visitor his full attention. The two men stood facing each other with only a couple of feet separating them. For several long moments the pair regarded each other in silence, Bruce with his forever grim persona and Clark with his expression just as serious.

Then something shifted in Bruce, a subtle relaxing of his shoulders and the barest of sighs through his nostrils. He reached up with his gloved hand and pushed his signature cowl off, revealing his handsome face to Clark. Something seemed to unknot in Clark at this gesture, as his own shoulders drooped and his expression grew quietly affectionate. Bruce gazed back at Clark, his own electric blue eyes showing a true, open and unabashed tenderness and want that the billionaire playboy never showed to anyone except those most closest to him, and even then, it was a rarity.

There was another beat of silence and then seemingly as one, Clark and Bruce were moving towards each other. They came together with Bruce's armor thudding lightly against Clark's indestructible chest, the vigilante's muscular arms wrapping around Clark's waist while Clark wrapped his around around Bruce's neck in turn. They all but smashed their mouths together in a deep, unashamed kiss. Clark felt a thrill go up his spine as he finally felt Bruce's lips against his own, reached up with his hand and burying his fingers into the other man's dark locks as he kissed him back fervently.

When the need for air became too much for Bruce to ignore, he reluctantly wrenched himself way, though he leaned in and pressed his forehead to Clark's.

" Hey Boy Scout." He said gruffly.

" Hey B." Clark whispered back as he grinned brightly at Bruce.

Bruce smiled back at him quietly, almost shyly before they came together in another sensuous kiss. When they broke apart, Clark gasped, and then chuckled softly as Bruce proceeded to tuck his face into the Kryptonian's neck and proceeded to go to town on it. Clark gasped and groaned softly in pleasure, all but melting under Bruce's ministrations. He leaned in and lightly nipped at Bruce's ear, earning a warning growl from Bruce that Clark blatantly ignored as he proceeded to suck at the spot behind Bruce's ear. Bruce barely bit back a groan of his own at the feel of Clark's lips against his skin.

As the air grew more heated between them, Bruce started pushing Clark backwards across the room. Clark put up a token bit of resistance, capturing Bruce's lips in open mouth kisses and gasping when one of Bruce's hands left his waist and proceeded further down, coming to settle over his ass and giving one of his cheeks a firm, possessive squeeze. Bruce herded Clark backwards till the backs of the Kryptonian's knees hit the edge of his bed.

With a loud, happy bark of laughter Clark easily fell backwards onto his bed, Bruce following after him and coming to loom over him. With his black cape spread out like wings and a predatory glint in his blue eyes, it was almost like the scene out of a vampire movie, the dark creature of the night about to spring on his defenseless pray. But Clark Kent, the man who was superman, was anything but defenseless.

Smirking hungrily up at Bruce, Clark reached out with his hands and hooked one around the back of Bruce's neck. Using a bit of his otherworldly strength, Clark yanked Bruce sideways. Bruce had enough time to let out a small grunt of surprise before he found himself on his back with Clark straddling him soundly. Bruce looked up at Clark with a dangerous, warning glint in his eyes, his mouth twisted into a scowl. It would have sent lesser men running for the hill, but Clark simply smiled down at the Gotham Bat before he reached for the hem of the baggy, plain whit t-shirt he was wearing.

Bruce felt his mouth go dry as he watched Clark slowly, blatantly pull the shirt up, revealing that inhumanly perfect body to him inch by painstaking inch. Both men felt their blood rush southward, their skin burning for more contact. As Clark continued his teasing, Bruce reached for his spiked gauntlets and undid them, shedding them and tossing them on the floor with a dull clatter before pulling of his gloves, finally freeing his hands. As Clark finished pulling his shirt off over his head and tossed it aside, he shuddered as he felt Bruce's hands finally reach for him. Hot palms sprayed over his stomach before slowly trailing up towards his chest. Clark moaned without shame, leaning into the touch and shuddering further as he gazed down at Bruce.

Bruce's own pupils were blown wide, making his blue eyes look black with desire. With a snarl, Bruce levered himself up into a sitting position and seized Clark's face, yanking him into a rough, plundering kiss. Clark put-up no resistance as he kissed Bruce back, but his hands went about undressing Bruce. He started by seeking out the hidden clasps that held Bruce's cape in place. He undid them and then pulled Bruce's silky black cape out from under him, tossing it onto a nearby chair before he continued to expertly undo Batman's body armor. Bruce allowed his lover to do this, the gesture speaking of the trust and intimacy between them. Piece by piece Batman was disassembled, the armor and his utility belt ending up forgotten on Clark's bedroom floor.

Bruce trailed his hands up and down Clark's powerful back, feeling the muscles shift and coil beneath his palms while Clark slowly, torturously pulled down the batsuit's zipper that ran down the length of Bruce's back. The noise of it being undone seemed too loud in the silence, but it served to send fresh waves of wanton heat through the both of them. Once Clark had the zipper pulled all the way down, he chuckled as now Bruce made a show of slowly pealing off his suit and putting his own impressive physique on display for Clark.

A few minutes later, the suit, a pair of custom heavy combat boots, a pair of simple black boxer briefs, and a pair of plain gray sweatpants were all discarded onto Clark's already well cluttered floor.

" Bruce." Clark whispered brokenly as he writhed and undulated under Bruce, reveling in the feel of his bare skin against the other man's.

Bruce bit and kissed at Clark's chest, earning more indecent noises out o the Kryptonian as he kissed and sucked his way up Clark's chest to his neck, where he promptly sank his teeth into the indestructible flesh as hard as he could. Clark cried out loudly and arched magnificently up into Bruce, spreading his legs wider as they bracketed the other man.

" Clark... Clark can I have you?" Bruce whispered into the other man's ear.

Clark found himself smiling at this. It was always this way, even after six months of them having shifted their relationship from friends and colleagues in the world defense business to being this intimate, Bruce still asked for his permission before going all the way. Clark leaned up and pressed a kiss to Bruce's neck before he nodded and spoke.

" Yes, you can have me B." Clark whispered before he pressed his lips against Bruce's ear and continued.

" You've ruined me for anyone else, you get to keep me, even when I am not by your side." He finished seductively, grinning as he felt Bruce shudder against him.

With a low growl, Bruce all but lunged as he smashed his mouth over Clark's in a deep, probing kiss that even Clark, with all of his extraordinary abilities, was powerless against. He surrendered himself to Bruce and simply held on, splaying his hands over Bruce's powerful, scar covered back.

A few moments later, Clark's sharp cry mingled with Bruce's quiet, breathy moan as Bruce sank into him and finally joined their bodies in the most intimate of ways.

Clark lost himself to the abyss that was Bruce Wayne, and he could say with certainty that he didn't mind drowning.

Hours later, Bruce and Clark lay side by side on the latter's bed, completely spent but freshly showered and sated with a comfortable silence between them.

" How are Alfred and the Bat kids?" Clark asked with a smile.

Bruce turned his head and pinned Clark with a look, but was soon half-smiling at his lover's cheekiness as he spoke.

" They're okay. Alfred is as infallible as always. Dick's holding down Bloodhaven, while Tim and Jason actually helped out the Teen Titans in taking down The Hive's latest scheme in Jump City. Cassandra's staying over at Barbra's until next week. And Damian, well he got into a fight at school but it was against this bully who was picking on the new kid, so he got off with a warning while the bully got suspended. No body lost any limbs. Overall, nothing major." Bruce said casually.

Clark chuckled as he turned over onto his side and draped his arm over Bruce's chest, shifting closer to press up against the other man as he spoke.

" M'glad you guys are doing okay. I should stop by later, just to see everyone." He said with a sigh as he pressed a kiss to Bruce's shoulder.

" I am sure Alfred and the others will be pleased, except for Damian. You know how he is." Bruce said.

" Yeah I do, still got the walls up and all, but he's like that with everyone." Clark said with a bit of sadness leaned in and smiled at Bruce.

" I got past your walls, I earned your smile. I'll keep trying to earn his, it's up to him to decide when I have." Clark said with simple, quiet conviction.

Bruce just stared at him for a moment, his face unreadable. Then he seemed to deflate a little as he nodded. He didn't want to let on just how deeply touched he was by how considerate Clark was being regarding his youngest son.

Saying that Damian was a handful would be the biggest understatement on the planet. Clark had already endured a massive amount of insults and dismissals, which had actually gotten worse when they had come clean to the kids regarding the romantic turn their relationship had taken.

Bruce just marveled at how Clark took it all in stride and continued to treat Damian only with warmth.

God he loved this man. Although, he hadn't been able to say it to Clark's face just yet, even after six whole months of officially being together and harboring feelings for the Kryptonian for even longer than that. In all honesty he was still waiting for the other shoe to drop, for Clark to realize that he was too damaged and volatile a man to love.

Without saying another word, Bruce reached out and pulled Clark to him, taking his mouth in a gentle kiss. Clark smiled against Bruce's lips as he kissed him back.

They lay together in each others arms, simply enjoying the intimacy of being. But a few minutes later, Clark watched on in quiet longing as Bruce got up and proceeded to redress himself in his uniform. Bruce wished that he could stay right here with Clark, fall asleep with him in his arms and they could wake up and enjoy breakfast together like they had done other time before, but he had an early morning board meeting he needed to be ready for.

Bruce dressed with quick, practiced efficiency till he stood fully garbed as Batman, save for his cowl which hung behind him. He turned to Clark who got up from his bed, the sheets falling away leaving him gloriously nude. It took everything Bruce had in him not to just pounce on the Kryptonian. Instead he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Clark's waist, pulling him in close and leaning in, seeking out his lips. Clark reached up and cupped Bruce's cheeks with his hands as he kissed him deeply. When they drew back they still stayed close as Clark spoke.

" I wish you'd stay." He said longingly.

" I wish I could too, but the daytime's when the billionaire play-boy has to do his job." Bruce said with a sigh of his own.

" Yeah. Just call me when you have a second, and maybe I could stop by and have dinner with you guys tomorrow night?" Clark asked.

" I could do that, or I could just stop by the Daily Planet and whisk you away for an exclusive." Bruce said with a smirk.

" That could work too." Clark said with a chuckle before he leaned in and gave Bruce a lingering, final peck.

With that, Bruce took his leave, climbing out Clark's bedroom window and disappearing up the fire escape in a swirl of inky black cape. Clark pulled the window shut as sighed in his lover's wake. With a small huff and a lingering look out the window, distantly hearing the Batwing take off towards Gotham high up above his humble apartment complex, Clark turned away and headed for bed. He too had a busy day ahead of him.

 ** _About a month later, at the Daily Planet..._**

Clark tugged discreetly at his shirt collar as he stood among the crown gathered in the conference room. Everyone was currently gathered to hear one of Perry White's rousing speeches about how they needed to still be relevant and to put out the best quality to show any of those new up and coming newspapers how it's done. Clark did his best to focus but all throughout the morning he had just been feeling... off. Even right now he just felt very hot and uncomfortable under his collar, and he could find no discernible reason as to why.

Perry had just reached the stage where he usually pounds his fist against the conference table when Clark felt all the blood rush out of his face, and his stomach roll violently.

" Kent? What's going on with you? You look like you're about to die!" White bellowed.

Unable to say anything, Clark dove through the crowd of colleagues, glancing at a deeply concerned Lois, before he found a nearby metal waste bin and promptly heaved up the contents of his stomach. There were winces and groans of sympathy all throughout the room, Lois rushing forward placing a reassuring hand on Clark's back as he vomited.

" Hey Olsen, get Kent here to the washroom ASAP!" Perry yelled, kinda stunned himself to see Clark, who rarely ever looked sick despite always disappearing, heaving his guts out.

" On it chief!" Jimmy said dutifully as he too stepped forward.

Clark finished vomiting and was then a bit alarmed to see that his vomit was actually starting to slowly eat through the metal. Apparently his vomit was that caustic to normal objects? Clark did his best to hide this, allowing Jimmy to help him up as he turned apologetic eyes to his boss.

" I'm sorry Mr. White, guess breakfast just isn't agreeing with me." He explained.

" Forget that, take the day off and come back once you're sure you won't upchuck all over the place. Last thing we need if for a stomach bug to go around." Perry said gruffly, though not unkindly.

" Yes Mr. White." Clark muttered, feeling his stomach roll again as Jimmy all but dragged him out of the conference room.

Just what the Hell was going on?

About an hour later Clark was at home, sitting on his sofa and just breathing with his eyes closed. He had shed his suit jacket and undone a few buttons on his dress shirt, partially revealing the signature blue uniform with the symbol of the House of El emblazoned over the chest. He had thankfully not vomited again, but he felt absolutely horrendous. He still felt overly hot, and also a little sleeping, and he was suddenly having this massive craving for spicy chicken wings drizzled with Nutella of all things.

This day just kept getting weirder and weirder.

Deciding that maybe he should do an internal check on himself before maybe heading off to the Fortress of Solitude to get a full work up, Clark sat up and then looked down at himself as best he could before focusing and activating his x-ray vision. The moment he looked at his lower stomach, Clark felt his heart slam to a dead halt inside his chest. Letting out a long, shaky breath, Clark's eyes grew wide, almost to the size of dinner plates at what he was seeing.

In the blink of an eye he was shedding his civilian clothes and leaving them strewn all over his living room as Clark shot out of his apartment. In his full Superman attire, Clark shot up higher and higher into the sky, heading North with the frozen white plains of the Antarctic as his intended destination.

About half an hour later Clark found himself standing stunned before the hologram of his father Jor-El.

" How is this possible father? I am a male." Clark said when the ability to speak finally returned to him.

" It is a hidden Kryptonian ability that acts as a bit of a failsafe. Every Kryptonian male is born with a dormant organ. They can go their whole lives without it every coming to life, but in the case of same sex couples or a couple where the female is infertile, the organ does become active and useful for procreation.

" So you're saying I had a uterus in me my whole life and now it has basically come alive and is working just fine?!" Clark asked with his panic growing more and more evident.

" Yes my son, that is essentially the situation. Allow me to offer you my most warm and happy congratulations at having conceived my first grandchild." Jor-El's hologram said matter of factly.

" Oh my God!" Clark all but wailed.

He had come here thinking he'd gotten some type of space parasite or magical bug, instead after going through a full body scan it had only confirmed what he had recognized when he had looked himself over with his x-ray vision.

It had been a fetus he had seen, a healthy, half-Kryptonian, Half-human fetus.

" Oh my God." Clark whispered before he stumbled across the room into a nearby chair and all but collapsed into it.

With a trembling hand, Clark reached up and placed his palm over his still flat stomach.

How could this have happened? How had he not known about the freaky, secret male uterus that had been inside him all his life?

" Would you like a hot beverage of your preference Kal-El?" Came Kelex's mechanical voice as the otherworldly robot floated next to the distressed Kryptonian.

Clark would have liked nothing more than a tall, stiff drink of the strongest alcohol in the known galaxy, but his thoughts immediately turned to his current situation, and the actual LIFE that was growing inside him.

" I'd like a glass of hot milk please, thank you Kelex." Clark said tiredly.

Kelex beeped in acknowledgement before floating away to get the desired drink.

As he sat their utterly in shock, a fresh wave of terror coursed through Clark as he realized that not only was he carrying a baby inside him, it was Bruce's baby.

Bruce's baby.

Well, if he hadn't already fallen in love with this baby, he was sure of it now.

Bruce's baby. His and Bruce's baby.

As he gazed down at his hand still pressed over his stomach, Clark began to feel the stirrings of actual hope.

His and Bruce's baby.

When Kelex returned with the milk, Clark drank it quickly and then took a couple hours to go through another scan and also steady his nerved before he took his leave of the Fortress. He flew at a sedate pace, and by the time he entered Gotham air space it was just past sunset. As he made his way towards the imposing manor that stood at the outskirts of town, Clark still wondered how he would broach the rather life-altering subject.

Perhaps he could start with just asking Bruce how he felt about adding to his already wonderful, complicated brood.

 _ **Several hours later, back at the Fortress of Solitude where it was well into the early morning hours...**_

A lone figure sat before the Fortress' main computer, silent and with a dejected slump. Letting out a shaky breath, and with tears carving bitter trails down his pale and drawn cheeks.

Clark sat there utterly defeated. He had left the Fortress and gone to Gotham with such high hopes of revealing his surprising news. Dinner with Bruce and a couple of his boys had gone well enough. Dick, Tim, and Jason had been happy enough to see him while Damian had scowled as per usual. Bruce himself had been particularly pleased to see him. It was afterwards, with the two of them spending some time in the Bat Cave that Clark had brought up the idea of more children.

As he sat there in his chair surrounded by the icy crystal of his fortress, Clark felt more tears spill free from his eyes as he shut them and heard the echoes of Bruce's words rattle through his head like broken china in a dishwasher.

 _" Rest assured, four boys and one girl are more than enough. I am hardly father material as it is, Jason himself can attest to that so no, definitely no more children for me."_

Clark had somehow managed keep himself from crumbling, all the while feeling his heart shatter. Not for himself, but for the baby he had inside of him. The baby who's other father had unknowingly, yet thoroughly rejected even the very idea of having. Clark had kissed Bruce goodbye and Bruce had joked that it had felt like he was going somewhere far away. Clark had just mustered a wan smile before he had headed upstairs and said personal goodbyes to Alfred and the boys. None of them suspected anything, thought Damian had frowned.

" Computer, pull up everything you have on safely terminating a Kryptonian male pregnancy." He said quietly, doing all that he could to fight back the sobs that threatened to drown him.

" Order acknowledged, though warning is advised as to the graphic nature and inherent danger of the procedures contemplated." The mechanical female voice of the computer stated.

" Understood." Clark said dejectedly.

 _ **About two months later at Wayne Manor...**_

Damian looked up from is cereal and frowned as his bright blue-green eyes settled on his father who was sitting at the head of the table in the small family dining room. Bruce Wayne sat immaculately dressed and without a single hair out of place, ready for another day at the office while he enjoyed his breakfast of steak and an egg white omelet. However, "enjoying" may have been to generous a description. Bruce's movements were stiff, nearly mechanical, while his eyes focused on the table top, not really looking at anything. There was no enjoyment on Bruce's face, despite Alfred's phenomenal cooking.

For the past two months, Bruce had basically become a machine, closing himself off from everyone, even Cassandra. When he acted the part of Billionaire Brucie, he'd plaster on a smile on his face when he had to act the part of Billionaire Brucie Wayne, the goofball bachelor with the flock of children, but behind closed doors, he was completely miserable and shut down.

When Bruce was Batman, all of Gotham seemed to tremble in the wake of his unbridled rage. That seemed to be the only emotion Bruce allowed himself to show these days, a bright, blinding hot rage that he vented primarily on Gotham's criminal element. Just in the passed few weeks, Scarecrow had been left with a shattered jaw, Bane a bruised spine, and Black Mask had nearly had said mask pounded straight into his own flesh. The usual criminals were one thing, but not even the Bat Family had been able to avoid Bruce's irate mood. It was why only Damian was currently sitting at the breakfast table, Cassandra, Dick, and Tim opting to go and eat in the sun room to avoid "Angry Bat Dad". Avoid Bruce rather than risk his ire by trying to get him to talk about what had happened between him and Clark.

" Finish you breakfast Damian." Bruce said quietly without looking up from his own meal.

" Tt." Damian replied but going back to his own cereal none the less.

Damian looked away from his unhappy father and scowled to himself as his thought turned to just why his father was in such a sad state.

The Alien.

The Alien who had once been an irritatingly constant fixture in their lives had abruptly cut off all contact about two months ago, leaving Bruce heartbroken and confused, which of course had led to his fiery anger.

From where he stood sadly watching father and son, Alfred allowed himself a small, sad sigh. Ever since Master Clark's sudden withdrawal from their lives, Master Bruce had become a down right terror. Now even Alfred found himself wondering what had happened? How it had all gone so horribly wrong? What would possibly have caused Clark Kent, who had seemingly been unshakable in his devotion to Master Bruce, to suddenly just vanish?

According to Master Bruce, not only had Clark Kent abruptly cut ties with Bruce and the rest of the Wayne Family, he had taken a leave of absence from the Daily Planet, and his altar-ego Superman had similarly withdrawn from the world, leaving a cryptic message of apology to Bruce and the rest of the League, asking them to watch over Metropolis and the world at large in his stead, for a little while he had said.

Bruce had tried to seek Clark out at the Fortress of Solitude, only to find it empty and all of the robots not being able to say just where their master was.

From where he sat, Damian had but one thought on his mind. He would find the Alien and he would make him pay for breaking his father's heart. In fact, he already had a plan in mind for getting to the Arctic.

He decided the best place to start looking for clues would be at the Alien's self-made sanctuary.

 _ **One week later in the Arctic...**_

The zeta beam transport pad within the Fortress of Solitude came alive with white energy. Within a few moments, a small dark figure materialized within the beam of light. As the beam finished its transporting task and then faded, the figure stood to full height.

Dressed his full Robin regalia and a thick winter jacket, Damian Wayne glowered as he looked around the Fortress of Solitude. Everything was in its proper place, and said place was immaculate as always. The robots appeared to still be doing their duties in upkeep.

" Tt." Damian muttered as he stepped off of the landing pad.

He wasn't supposed to be here obviously, but after Alfred had dropped him off at school, Damian had used his skills to expertly duck out and head back to the manner where he had donned his armor and then used the zeta transport to get here with Alfred none the wiser.

He pushed his hood off of his face and walked with purpose past the large memorial statues of Lara and Jor-El. He had only gotten a few feet before Kelex appeared.

" Greetings Damian Wayne, your visit to the Fortress is unexpected." The robot said with its soft female voice.

" Where is your master Tin Can? I am here to see him and I will not leave without answers." Damian said with gritted teeth.

" I am under strict instructions from Kal-El not to divulge his location be it here, or any other place on this planet. Would you like some refreshments? We will be able to provide you with various options if you so choose." The Robot stated neutrally.

" Tt." Damian snorted before he stood off down one of the hallways with Kelex floating after him.

As he walked, Damian glanced at the robot and spoke.

" Tell me Tin Can, are you under orders to use force to stop me if I were to get too close to finding the Alien?" He asked disdainfully.

" My orders are to not divulge Kal-El's location. Other than that, I was not given authority to use force to remove you or anyone else from the Fortress. I must simply advise that you not to seek out Kal-El's location, be it here or any other place on this planet. He has expressed his desire not to be disturbed." Kelex answered.

 _" Good then. The tin can won't stop me, so I can bury some Kryptonite in the Alien's face if I find him here."_ Damian thought to himself savagely as he continued down the hall.

He would scour this entire structure if he had too, he was going to find the Alien one way or another.

Damian spent a good twenty minutes just walking around the Fortress, through the maze of corridors, getting lay out of the place before a idea finally struck him.

" Tin Can, lead me to the alien's quarters here in this place." He ordered sternly.

Kelex floated silently for a moment before beeping softly.

" Follow me Damian Wayne."

Feeling a small thrill of triumph, Damian followed after the otherworldly robot.

Kelex led Damian through the animal sanctuary Clark had set up, the youngest Wayne taking a moment to quietly marvel at some of the unique creatures that called the Fortress home, especially one creature that looked like a a fearsome cross between an rhino and an armadillo.

But Damian quickly refocused on the task at hand. He continued to follow Kelex until they reached the end of the hall where a pair of opaque, arched crystal doors stood.

" You will need to type in the access code to gain entry." Kelex stated, pointing at the little keypad situated beside the doors.

Damian glowered murderously at Kelex, wondering why the robot had not told him of this earlier. He could hack this place too if he wanted.

" Tt." Damian muttered before he stepped over to the keypad to take a look.

At least it wasn't all in Kryptonian. Gazing at the keys, Damian contemplated possible answers to this roadblock in his quest.

" How many tries am I allowed?" He asked in annoyance.

" You are allowed three tries before the security system will be activated." Kelex answered.

" Hmph." Damian huffed before he reached out and typed in his first attempt.

M-A-R-T-H-A

Once this word was entered, Damian glowered as a small buzz sounded, along with a red light going off.

One attempt ruined.

" Any chance you could give me a hint Tin Can?" Damian asked flatly.

" All I can tell you is that the pass code refers to something Kal-El cares deeply for." Kelex replied.

 _" Fat lot of help you are."_ Damian thought before he turned back to the panel.

Thinking hard, Damian made his second attempt.

K-R-Y-P-T-O-N

Damian gritted his teeth as again, his answer was rejected. He now had only one chance left to get inside the Alien's personal quarters.

Damian mulled over any and all possible choices for his final attempt, and then his mind thudded to a halt as a final, familiar name came to mind. Gritting his teeth, Damian reached for the panel and typed in his last shot.

B-R-U-C-E

There was a beat of complete silence, Damian scarcely breathing. Then there was a soft chime and the panel glowed green as the crystal doors smoothly slid open, granting access to the chamber on the other side.

" Congratulations Damian Wayne, you have proven that you have the authority to enter Kal-El's private chamber. Please use the button on the panel on the other side of the wall to call me should you require anything." Kelex said before floating away and becoming stationary a few feet down the hall.

Damian wordlessly turned and then stepped over the threshold into Clark's private chamber, gritting his teeth and not wanting to admit that the revelation that his passcode for said chamber was Bruce's name caused something inside Damian to actually lurch painfully. The crystal doors slid shut behind Damian once he was inside. He took a look about the chamber, taking it in. It was actually like an oval shaped studio apartment. There was a living room area, a bedroom area, and even a small kitchen area. A pair of doors next to the bedroom area had Damian thinking that that was the bathroom.

As he stepped further inside, Damian observed the decorum. The furniture was a combination of crystal and metal. Masculine with hard edges, but with some soft touches, like a very plush looking light gray circular carpet in the center of the living room area over which a crystal coffee table stood. There was also a matching sofa set as well with what looked like a hand knitted white throw blanket draped over half of it, like it had been used recently.

Damian felt a jolt at that, his heart rate speeding up further when he eyes a simple white bowl of half eaten cereal and a half full glass of orange juice standing next to it on the coffee table. With his eyes wide, Damian rushed over to the coffee table and pulled off one of his gloves. He reached for the bowl and let out a small breath when he felt the side of it.

Still warm, meaning someone had been in here, eating.

Someone could still possibly be here.

Before Damian could really come up with a next move, he startled slightly when a horrendous groaning sound shot through the chamber before falling silent. Damian turned in the direction of where he guessed the sound came from and found himself facing towards the two closed doors next to the bedroom area.

Damian's face hardened into one of determination. He had come this far and actually found something, there was no turning back now.

Using some of his hard learned stealth training, Damian quietly made his way into the bedroom area, another loud groan sounding from behind the closed doors, followed by violent gagging that had even Damian wincing a little. He walked by the bed and observed that the sheets on the simple square bed were made, but well wrinkled from use. As his eyes traveled over the mattress, Damian paused when something on the bedside table caught his attention. Frowning, Damian turned glanced at the closed doors a moment before he took the decision to detour.

Damian strode around the bed and made his way to the bedside table where the item stood.

It was a simple, rectangular piece of paper held within an elegant crystal frame.

A picture.

But not just any picture, it was a picture of the entire Wayne family and the Kent family, gathered together. It was when the Alien had insisted that they all join his mother and father for Christmas in Kansas last year. Damian stared at the photo of everyone gathered and smiling on the sofa the Kents kept in their living room, even himself not glowering so much at the camera while Clark and Bruce sat on either side of Martha and Jonathan Kent. Even Jason was smirking at the camera while he gave Dick bunny-ears.

As Damian looked closer he saw that the glass over the photo was stained, as if many drops of liquid had fallen and dried on it. Damian stared at the photo, the meaning behind the stains not lost on him.

Someone had held this photo in their hands and had shed tears on it, _repeatedly._

The sound of a toilet flushing broke Damian out of this revelation. Now feeling off balance, unsure, and not so angry as he had been when he had first arrived here, Damian quickly set the picture frame back down on the bedside table and rushed back around the foot of the bed to get to the closed bathroom doors. He came to stand just a few feet away, hardening his expression as he waited to finally confront whoever it was on the other side.

The seconds that ticked by seemed more like hours as Damian clenched his fists hard. If it was the Alien who came out of the bathroom, Damian would show him not even a grain of mercy.

Finally the doors slid open with a soft hiss, and a tall figure emerged from the other side.

The moment Damian's eyes fell on this individual, his eyes grew wide and his arms fell slack at his side in utter shock.

It was the Alien.

And yet, he was not as Damian remembered him.

The tall, confident, and even Damian was loath to admit, resplendent protector of Earth was nowhere to be found. Instead Damian could only describe the man who stepped over the threshold as broken, completely and utterly broken.

The Alien's face was pale and drawn in a way Damian had never seen, even when he had taken a face full of Kryptonite. His hair was an unkept mass of dark curls, as if he hadn't bothered to run a comb through it in a long while There were dark smudges under his downcast eyes, and a defeated slump to his shoulders. He carried himself like he had the weight of the whole world on his shoulders and it was slowly crushing him. An immeasurable sadness came off of him in waves. The fact that the Alien was dressed in a worn out pair of black sweatpants and a baggy, dull gray t-shirt only added to the picture of misery he painted.

He looked _ill._ How could _Superman_ look _ill?_

Clark for his part was so lost in his own desolation he didn't even notice Damian standing there at first. Damian's already wide eyes grew even wider as he watched a single tear escape from the Alien's right eye and carve a bitter trail down his cheek. Clark was about to reach up and wipe at it when he finally noticed that he wasn't alone.

Clark came to a dead halt as his tired eyes fell on his unexpected guest, the breath leaving his lungs as he saw Bruce's son standing there staring back at him.

" Damian?" He asked, not truly believing what he was seeing.

Damian seemed to snap out of his own stupor as his expression grew irate. He wanted nothing more than to rush forward and attack, pull out the shard of Kryptonite he had retrieved from the Bat Cave's vault, but something in his gut made him stand still as he spoke.

" Alien." Damian seethed before he stepped forward and pointed an accusing finger at Clark.

" At last I have found you, you coward!" The child spat.

Clark flinched and felt his eyes fill at Damian's harsh words, but he pushed it down, knowing that Damian was angry with him, and had every right to be. He had promised that he'd always be there, and had broken that promise, along with Bruce's heart.

With his hand unconsciously going to his stomach that was hidden by his baggy shirt, Clark took a tentative step forward as spoke.

" Damian, I know that you're angry with me and you have every right to be but I..."Clark trailed off and sighed before he continued.

" Would you like something to eat or drink? The Fortress can fabricate anything, and I could make you one of those veggie omelets you like."

Damian was momentarily thrown off by Clark's considerate gesture but he shook his head.

" No Alien, you will not distract me with your fake kindness. You disappeared, you hurt father, and I demand to know why?!" Damian yelled, his voice echoing through the chamber.

Feeling his stomach roll again violently, Clark bit back the wave of nausea that threatened to consume him as he held out his hands in a placating gesture.

" Damian, I... Okay it's really complicated and unbelievable but just hear me out alright?" Clark asked softly.

Damian glowered and crossed his arms but nodded. Clark sighed and then gestured for Damian to follow him over to the bed where the Kryptonian sat down. By sitting down, the material of Clark shirt shifted and fell against his stomach, revealing that it was no longer as flat as it usually was. It did not escape Damian's sharp observation.

" Since when are you capable of getting fat Alien?" Damian asked unkindly as he gazed suspiciously at Clark's slightly bulging stomach.

Clark looked down at his own stomach, unbeknownst to Damian it was the actual catalyst to this entire situation, and then smiled back up at Damian.

" I can't tell you how good it is to see you Damian." He said warmly, earning another scowl from the boy who was basically interrogating him.

" Talk." Damian ordered, keeping his expression grim and trying to ignore the fact that Clark's words that he was actually pleased to see him made Damian feel something.

Reassured.

With a small sigh, Clark nodded and parted his lips.

" As you know, me and your dad are... were together and everything was good." Clark began when Damian cut him off.

" What happened two months ago?" He demanded flatly, annoyed when he got another warm smile from Clark.

" I was at work like usual, and my boss was holding a meeting when I started to feel hot and uncomfortable. I didn't really think anything of it, maybe it was just my heat vision acting up. But then I got sick, I actually threw up in a metal trashcan only for my vomit to start eating through it like acid." Clark explained.

Damian kept his face neutral, though inwardly he was deeply alarmed. Superman got sick, Superman threw up. What was going on here? Clark then continued, doing his best not to crumble.

" My boss let me go home early and I was just sitting in my apartment when I decided to just check myself over with by x-ray vision. It was when I looked at my stomach area that I saw something there, something that couldn't possibly be." Clark explained.

" A parasite?" Damian asked warily as his eyes traveled to Clark's rounded belly.

Clark let out a small huff and shook his head.

" No Damian, it wasn't anything bad, but I just couldn't believe it. So I rushed up here and got scanned again, and then I consulted my birth father's hologram and he confirmed it."

" Confirmed what Alien? Tell me!" Damian demanded.

" I am pregnant Damian." Clark said finally, his hand coming to rest over his belly.

There was dead silence, Damian stood there with his eyes wide behind his domino mask and his jaw slack. Out of everything he had been expecting to hear, this was the absolute last thing. When the ability to talk returned to Bruce's now second youngest, Damian stepped closer to Clark, looking back and forth between the Kryptonian and his spoke as he spoke.

" How?" He demanded.

" Well, according to my father, all Kryptonian males were born with a uterus. It can stay dormant for life or become active if something triggers it. It acts as a failsafe for a couple that had a man and a woman and the woman can't conceive for whatever reason, or gives a same sex couple the ability to have children of their own. I guess me and your dad fell into the second category. We were together and my body decided that we should be parents... and well... here we are." Clark said with a helpless little shrug.

Damian swallowed, not really knowing how to process this, what to feel. There were many emotions swirling about inside him, but he fell back on one that he was familiar with.

Anger.

With a loud snarl, Damian lunged, seizing Clark by the loose collar of his t-shirt and getting right up in his face as he screamed. Clark put up no resistance as the eleven year old boy pulled at him.

" YOU LEFT, YOU SAID YOU WOULD ALWAYS BE THERE FOR US BUT YOU LIED, YOU LEFT FATHER, YOU LEFT US. YOU SAID YOU CARED ABOUT US, ABOUT FATHER BUT YOU ARE A NO GOOD LYING COWARD WHO RAN. YOU LIED, AND YOU ARE A THIEF, YOU STOLE FATHER'S BABY FROM HIM!" Damian yelled as he tried to shake Clark.

Clark felt every angry word like a spear to his heart, but when Damian accused him of stealing, he drew the line.

" Enough Damian." Clark said firmly, reaching up and easily prying Damian's hands of his collar. He held the boy's wrists firmly, but gently in his hands, Damian tugging at them uselessly as Clark spoke.

" That's not true Damian, I didn't steal this baby from your father. After I scanned myself and confirmed that I was carrying a half-Kryptonian half-human fetus. The first thing I thought to do was to tell your father. You remember two months ago, I dropped by unexpectedly to have dinner with you guys?" Clark asked.

Damian frowned, and thought to remember for a moment before he nodded mutely.

" We had dinner and it was wonderful, Jason made walrus tusks with his French fries and Bruce scolded you and Cassandra for sneaking Titus food under the table. Me, Tim, and Dick just laughed our butts off." Clark said with a yearning, nostalgic look on his face that actually made something inside Damian lurch again, much to his chagrin.

" I was so nervous, but excited, thinking that I was going to tell your father that I'd be giving all of you a new member of the Bat Family." Clark said with a pained smile before his expression grew tremendously sorrowful.

" After dinner I went down to the cave with your father so that we could talk. I brought up the subject of having more kids to him and he flat out told me that he was done. He said that the five of your were it for him, that he wasn't even father material, and that there would be no more children for him." Clark said as a hopelessness filled his clear blue eyes.

It was something Damian had never before seen in the always optimistic Kryptonian. It was something he never wanted to see again, it was too awful.

" I held it together in front of your father, and you remember I came back upstairs and said goodbye to all of you. I left and I came back here and for the longest time I just sat here, not knowing what to do. I was crushed Damian. I know that Bruce didn't know about this child, that his answer may have been different had he known, but he made it clear that he doesn't want anymore children and I needed to respect that." Clark said with tears shining in his eye.

Damian's eyes grew wide as he felt Clark's hands shaking slightly as they held his smaller wrists.

Clark was trembling.

 _Superman was trembling._

" Alien, did you think about ending..." Damian trailed off, he knew that Clark had obviously not chosen to end the pregnancy, if his current state was anything to go on, but he needed to know what Clark had contemplated after Bruce had unknowingly rejected the baby.

Clark took a deep breath and forced himself to meet Damian's searching blue green eyes, so much like his father's as he nodded.

" I looked up all the information the Fortress had on safely terminating the pregnancy but I just... I couldn't even read the first sentence on the procedure before I was shutting it off." Clark explained.

Damian felt something uncoil inside him in relief despite everything. Swallowing, Damian spoke.

" Why?" He asked simply.

" Because I love your father Damian, because I love you and your brothers, and your sister, and Alfred. I love my Ma and Pa, and because, I fell in love with this child the moment I got to know he or she existed. I know that either keeping or terminating a pregnancy is a choice, not an obligation. But for me, this little boy or girl is a piece of all of you, _how could I ever even dare to think about harming him or her?"_ Clark answered, meaning every word.

Damian stood wide eyed and stunned. He gazed at Clark like he'd never seen him before, his brain uncomprehending of the Kryptonian's unexpectedly tender words.

" Y-You love me?" Damian asked softly.

" Of course I do, how could I not?" Clark said with a smile.

" But I have done nothing but insult you, make fun of you, reject your attempts at friendship. I have told you to your face that I believed your relationship with father would be a passing fad, that father would realize that my mother would be a better romantic partner. I have disregarded your feelings constantly." Damian said in utter confusion.

" I never held any of that against you. The way you acted towards me wasn't right, but it was the only way you knew how, but you're growing out of that, you are learning a better way to act and you've actually changed the way to treat me, I saw it. Yeah, you still have a bit of a rude streak in you, but you were tolerating me and maybe even warming up to me a little before this mess happened, and I couldn't ask for more. And besides all that, who else do I know who went to a slaughterhouse, won a fight against Leviathan there, and then saved a cow and declared himself a vegetarian? And it's not just Bat-Cow, it's Alfred the Cat, and Titus the Bat-Hound, you helped all of them and gave them a home. You're father would have normally never allowed his cave to become the home of any other animal except for the bats, but you convinced him, you made him bend from his rigidness. And the way you are with your siblings, sure you guys fight constantly, but I know you would lay down you life for any of them in a second."

" But-" Damian whispered when Clark slowly shook his head and let go of Damian's wrists.

Damian stood still as Clark reached for him, gently peeling the domino mask from his face, revealing him fully to the Kryptonian. It was like peeling off a layer of armor, leaving them a little more unguarded with each other. Clark set the mask down beside him on the bed before he focused his full attention on Damian.

" Damian, I want you to know that I care about you, that I have always cared about you from the moment Bruce told me about you, not just because your father is my best friend and you're his son, but because you are yourself, this amazing, smart, talented, and brave boy. So yeah, I love you, very much and I would love for our baby to have you as one of their big brothers." Clark said with his voice wavering as a few tears finally escaped him.

Damian looked completely and totally flabbergasted by Clark's honesty. He didn't know what to think now, how to react, what step to take. He had been so angry at Clark for hurting his father, for leaving them without any explanation. Now after seeing the state Clark was in, hearing his many revelations, Damian was well and truly at a loss.

Damian blinked, and then blinked again, his mouth opening and closing but with no words coming out. Then his eyes lowered to Clark's stomach and widened further. There was a baby in there, an actual living, growing baby, and it was his little brother or sister.

Damian reached out towards Clark before he could stop himself, drawing back when he realized what he was doing. He looked up at Clark, hesitation painted across his face. Damian watched as Clark's face, still pale but a little less sickly than it had been before, totally lit up as he grinned at Damian and nodded, gesturing for him to go ahead. Swallowing back his own nervousness, Damian reached out and finally placed his hand on Clark's softly protruding belly. Damian couldn't help but gasp in wonder. The little bulge was taught and firm, and as he touched it, Damian felt this warmth spread through his entire body.

They stayed like that for several moments, Clark watching on with a warm smile as Damian Wayne finally "met" his newest sibling for the first time. It was Damian who finally spoke.

" Is he okay?" He asked quietly.

" Yes, I had a scan right after I woke up today and everything is okay. It's too early to tell what gender he actually is, but he's got ten fingers and ten toes, and his heart is beating strong. He's starting to make small movements, but I can't feel them yet." Clark answered as he reached down and patted Damian's hand on his stomach in reassurance.

Damian nodded mutely, feeling his throat close up. He then slowly looked up at Clark and just stared at the Kryptonian for the longest time. Clark met Damian's gaze, wondering if anything was wrong, but his own eyes grew wide as Damian wordlessly stepped forward, closing the sparse distance between them and wrapping his little arms around Clark's neck. Clark sat stunned for a moment, not fully able to comprehend what was happening.

Damian was hugging him.

 _Damian Wayne was hugging him._

Clark snapped out of his shock quickly as he raised his arms and wrapped them around Damian in turn, letting out a shaky breath. His eyes filled, but he didn't break down into sobs and start blabbering incoherently. Instead, he just held Damian tight and whispered against the boy's dark hair.

" I missed you so much Damian, I missed you every single day these last couple of months. I missed you all so much. I miss you father so much I can barely breathe. I didn't know what to do, or where to go. I haven't even told my Ma and Pa. Oh God, I am sorry Damian, I am so sorry. I love you, I love you, I love you. I am so sorry."

He whispered such words over and over again while Damian just wordlessly tightened his hold around him, all but clinging to him as he shut his eyes tight against the frustrating burning sensation that came over them. It was a foreign sensation to him, something he was taught never to allow, and yet he couldn't stop it right now. Everything just hurt.

They stayed like that for a good long while.

 ** _Several minutes later..._**

Damian stepped out of Clark's private chamber in the Fortress, pausing to look over his shoulder at the bedroom area where Clark was laying curled up across the bed. After he had composed himself, Clark had gone about clearing up his half-eaten breakfast and seeing as to how it was lunch time, had gone ahead and made Damian a veggie burger. While Damian had indulged Clark and had actually enjoyed the burger, Clark had laid down on his bed to rest for a moment and had promptly fallen asleep. Damian had taken the throw blanket off the sofa and draped it over Clark's still formidable frame, leaving the Kryptonian to rest because he looked utterly exhausted.

Now though, Damian looked grimly determined.

He had come here seeking vengeance, but now all he cared about was fixing his tattered family. Taking a deep breath, Damian made his way out of the room, the crystal doors shutting behind him as he made his way out into the hallway, where Kelex floated, ready and waiting to serve.

" Tin Can, watch over him, I shall return momentarily." Damian said firmly.

" As you wish, Damian Wayne." Kelex replied before floating past Damian and coming to hover before the closed crystal doors.

" Tt." Damian replied before he proceeded down the corridor and made his way to the animal sanctuary. Once there, he stood before the floor to ceiling glass walls, looking in at the vast array of creatures. He looked at the time on his gauntlet and saw that school would be letting out soon. Rather than leaving Alfred to get blindsided, Damian pulled out his bat communicator and punched in his father's personal cellphone number on a secure line. Damian held the communicator in his hand and waited.

 ** _Back in Gotham, at the highest office at Wayne Tower..._**

Bruce had just finished signing off of some paperwork when his cellphone went off where he kept it at one corner of his expensive mahogany desk. Tossing his pen aside, Bruce snatched up his phone and checked the ID.

Damian.

" Hmm." Bruce hummed to himself. Odd, Damian rarely every called him on his phone, and as far as he knew, the boy still had a couple of hours of class still left.

Bruce swiped his thumb across the screen and then brought the phone to his ear as he spoke.

" Yes Damian? What is it?" He asked.

" Father, I know you will be angered but, I skipped school today." Damian said bluntly, cutting right to the chase.

There was a beat of silence on the other end of the line before Bruce finally spoke.

" Alright, thank you for being upfront with me. Now may I ask, where are you?" He asked, his voice casual, belaying that Bruce was already on high alert, wondering what trouble his youngest could had possibly landed himself in.

" I used the zeta beam pad in the Bat Cave and transported myself to the Fortress of Solitude." Damian replied without missing a beat.

A longer beat of silence passed this time. From where he sat at his desk, Bruce went pale, his free hand balling into a tight fist while his eyes turned glacial with cold fury. Taking a dee breath through his nostrils, Bruce spoke with deceptive calmness.

" And why exactly did you decide to go there when it's a school day and I expressly forbid all of you from setting foot on Superman's property?" Bruce asked lightly, all the while with his fist trembling now.

" I came here to look for clues as to where he could have gone Father, I wanted answers for why he left, I wanted vengeance but that's not important anymore." Damian said firmly.

This gave Bruce pause, because he knew how stubborn Damian could be, hell, it was a trait he undoubtedly got from his father. To hear Damian say that revenge was not important gave the older Wayne pause. Something happened, something big.

" He's there isn't he?" Bruce said quietly, knowingly. He felt a roaring in his ears as he realized that Clark had been found.

" Yes Father, but before you come rushing here-" Damian began only for Bruce to cut him off.

" I am not going to do any such thing. As far as I am concerned, Clark Kent is no longer of any consequence or concern to me. These last two months have made it perfectly clear that he no longer wishes to have anything to do with me or any of us, so I will simply return the favor. He no longer matters." Bruce said coldly, all the while feeling his heart lurch and bleed. Bruce savagely quashed down his heartache and continued.

" Now, I think that you have meddled enough, so you will come home this instant, or I'll just fly out there and get you myself, do I make myself clear?" Bruce ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Damian argued anyway.

" No Father, you are wrong. I cannot explain this to you over the phone, you have to come here and see it for yourself, you have to talk to him. There was a very legitimate reason why Clark left us, why he hid. It's something really, really important and it concerns all of us, not just you. Grayson, Todd, Drake, Cassandra, and Pennyworth, you all have to be here for this. Father, you made a very big mistake without even knowing it. You have to come here, you have to bring everyone here, it is most urgent."

Bruce sat stunned for a moment, having never heard Damian sound so concerned, so urgent and had he just referred to Clark as "Clark" rather than Alien? What mistake was Damian talking about? Just what the Hell was going on?

" Damian what is going on here? What did he tell you?" Bruce asked in concern.

" As I have said father, you have to see it, you have to listen to him. It is too unbelievable and the only way that any of this will make sense is if you all see for yourselves and listen. All I can tell you is that you have to come here, and you have to bring the rest of our family with you." Damian replied before he took a deep breath and finished.

" Clark needs you father, he needs all of us right now. Please just get here."

With that, Damian didn't wait for Bruce's reply as he cut the line and ended the call.

Bruce sat at his desk, completely stunned and with his heart pounding almost clear out of his chest. He had never heard his youngest son sound like that, had never heard such urgency in his voice through even the most dire of situations. He had even said "Please". Feeling tension coiled tight around his gut, and shoving aside the part of him that wanted to leave Clark to his misery, Bruce quickly got up from his chair and strode out of his office.

The perks of being the boss, he could call it a day whenever he wanted.

Bruce hurried to the parking garage and got into the sleek black Aston-Martin he had chosen to drive to the office in today. Once he was out of the parking garage and headed for Wayne Manor, Bruce flipped a switch and revealed a secret high-tech panel hidden beneath the radio and air-condition controls.

" Call the manor." Bruce ordered as he drove.

The computer, an extension of the Bat-Computer beeped in acknowledgment and carried out its order. A few minutes later a familiar British accented voice sounded across the line.

" Master Bruce, I was just heading out to pick up Master Damian, what is it?" Alfred asked.

" That won't be necessary. He just called me, our dear boy actually ducked out of school and snuck back in to the Cave, where he used the Zeta transport beam to get all the way up to the Fortress of Solitude in Antarctica." Bruce explained.

There was a beat of silence and then Alfred spoke.

" Oh my, what could Master Damian have possibly wanted up there of all places?" He asked, perplexed.

" He wanted to find clues as to Superman's whereabouts, but he actually found the man himself." Bruce growled in muted anger.

" I take it you shall be heading up to Antarctica to retrieve your wayward offspring and perhaps have some choice words with your former romantic partner?" Alfred asked primely.

" Oh I am definitely going up there one way or another. I'll explain everything once I get to the Cave, in the mean time, could you put a call out to everyone, see if they can come to the cave. According to Damian, this situation calls for all hands on deck." Bruce explained.

" Very well sir, see you soon." Alfred acknowledged.

" See you." Bruce replied before cutting off the line.

Once he was out of the main city, Bruce made double time getting home.

 _ **About an hour later down in the Bat Cave...**_

" So the little bat brat actually flushed the bastard out." Jason said with a glint in his eye. His hand grazed over one of the guns he had holstered at his hip.

" Jason, you are not going to shoot Kent in the face." Bruce said with annoyance.

 _" Even though it is awful tempting."_ Bruce though to himself as he looked around the room.

Alfred had sent out the call, and it had been answered with full force. There was Alfred in his immaculate black suit with a thick winter jacket over it, Jason stood with his red-bat crested suit and leather jacket, but had forgone his red helmet and opted for a simple domino mask. Tim stood in his signature red and black suit with the criss-cross red-robin emblem over his chest. Dick stood in his full Night Wing regalia of black and blue, and finally, Cassandra stood in her black and gold Batgirl uniform, sans the full face obscuring cowl. Instead she had on an elegant domino mask with elongated ends at the eyes and her chin length black hair loose.

Bruce himself stood tall and imposing as Batman, with the Kryptonite ring Clark himself had given him when he had opted to leave the Justice League after the Doom incident with Ra'as Al Ghul almost wiped them out, securely held in one of the compartments of his utility belt.

" Let's go." Bruce said simply as he led the way towards the Zeta beam pad by the far corner of the cave.

They all stood on the pad and Bruce typed in the coordinated for the crystal structure in the Arctic onto the screen of his gauntlet before he pressed the button to activate the transport.

In a flash of vibrating white light, Batman and his family disappeared from the cave.

They all materialized in another pulsating flash of white light on an identical pad in a corner of the main chamber of the Fortress of Solitude a few moments later.

" Greetings Bruce Wayne, and family." Greeted Kelex's voice as the robot floated before them.

" Where is my son?" Bruce demanded, cutting right to the chase.

Before Kelex could reply, a familiar voice sounded from across the room.

" I am here father." Said Damian from where he stood at the mouth of the main corridor that led deeper into the Fortress.

All eyes turned to Damian, who stood serious faced but without his own domino mask.

Bruce strode off the pad with purpose, his black cape billowing behind him and his expression grim.

" Where is he termite, where is that good for nothing jerk? I got a Kryptonite bullet with his name on it!" Jason yelled as he and the others followed after Bruce.

" You will not harm him Todd." Damian growled vehemently, taking several members of his family by surprise, especially Bruce.

" Jason stand down." Bruce ordered sternly before he focused on Damian.

" Damian, you said we all needed to be here, so here we are, now where is he?" Bruce asked.

" I am right here B." Came a familiar, tired voice from further down the hallway Damian seemed to be standing guard over.

Bruce felt his heart freeze, and then lurch painfully as he heard the voice he had been yearning for, for the first time in two long and miserable months. He watched as a shadow appeared on the floor of the hallway, and then a tall figure emerged from around the corner.

Everyone, even Jason were stunned when Clark finally made his appearance.

They were expecting the resplendent Man of Steel, handsome, and with his signature blue suit and red cape, and instead the person who stepped forward to greet them was the farthest thing from that.

The Clark standing before them was pale, almost sickly so, with dark, purplish circles under his eyes and his expression drawn and unhappy. His hair was an unkept mass of curls and he had on a dark blue bath robe tied at the waist, with what appeared to be a baggy t-shirt and sweatpants underneath. And he was barefoot too, no signature red boots to be found.

Clark did his best to remain calm, hiding his shaking hands in the pockets of his robe, his heart pounding almost clear out of his chest as he finally faced his lover and his family. He wanted nothing more than to just rush to Bruce and take him into his arms, kiss him senseless, but he stayed were he was because Batman was glaring at him, his eldest children were glaring at him, and even Alfred was gazing at him cooly.

Bruce felt deep concern well up inside him at the sight of Clark in the state he was in, but he stubbornly quashed it down and let his anger and hurt take over.

" So Kent, what lies did you spew to get Damian here to actually sympathize with you?" Bruce asked casually, tinted with acid.

Clark opened his mouth to speak, his expression quietly hurt when Damian stepped in front of him and gazed at his father with hard eyes.

" He lied about nothing father, stop talking to him like that." Damian said, stunning Bruce and the others into silence for a moment.

" Is this the Twilight Zone?" Tim asked under his breath, Dick and Jason looking at him in agreement and confusion.

Just what the Hell was going on? _Damian was standing up to Bruce for Clark?_

Clark sent Damian such a warm look that it gave Bruce pause, but he quickly shook it off as he stepped forward and spoke.

" You got me and my family here Kent, so I want some goddamn answers." Bruce demanded, pointing an unforgiving finger at the Kryptonian.

" Okay Bruce, I'll explain everything. But let's head over to the main computer, we're gonna need my father's hologram." Clark explained, as he stepped past Bruce and gesture for all of them to follow, Damian right there by his side.

Bruce frowned as he followed after Clark and Damian, his observation skills kicking in. Besides Clark's unkept appearance, there was something different in the energy he was giving off, and if he wasn't mistaken, Bruce also noticed that the knot of the robe Clark was wearing was protruding outward a little more than was normal. Bruce kept a laser focus on Clark but otherwise followed the Kryptonian silently.

From where she walked, Cassandra tilted her head as she too observed Clark. Her instincts were confusing her. She knew that everyone was angry with Clark, that she too should be angry and upset at him for abandoning them, but everything inside her was screaming to go to Clark, to hug him, to protect him at all costs despite the fact that he was Superman, one of the strongest beings on the planet.

She was just so confused.

Dick, Jason, and Tim all glared their own variations of daggers at Clark as they walked, but wisely kept mum. They wanted an explanation, and they would get it. Dick was just so disappointed in Clark for treating Bruce the way he had, just up and leaving without any rhyme or reason. Jason was pissed, sure, his relationship with Bruce still had its rocky phases, but they were good, and he had absolutely hated seeing Bruce's quiet heartbreak. His trigger finger was still itching. Tim was angry, disappointed, and deeply confused with everything, especially Damian's unexpected behavior. Just what could Clark have possibly said that would make the most antagonistic of Bruce's sons towards him suddenly become his pint-sized body guard?

From where he walked, Alfred observed Mr. Kent. After his abrupt departure from their lives, he had lost the privilege of being Master Kent, but Master Damian's behavior had thrown him for a complete loop. Damian had been among the most angry at Mr. Kent, and had apparently come here to the Fortress in the first place to seek vengeance against the one who had broken his father's heart. What could possibly deter one with Damian's stubbornness and determination so thoroughly?

The large group finally came to stand before the alcove where Jor-El's hologram was housed beside the main Fortress Computer.

Clark took a deep breath, sent Damian an warm look and then turned to face Bruce and the rest of his family.

" I know this doesn't mean much of anything to you guys right now but let me start by saying that I am so sorry for just leaving you all like I did. Believe me, it was the absolute last thing I wanted to do." Clark began.

" Must not have been so hard because you did it anyway." Dick said flatly.

Clark just sent Dick a sad look before he looked to Bruce and sighed.

" There's no easy way to tell you guys this, so I'll just say it." Clark said before he took a deep breath.

" I am pregnant." Clark said softly, his hand going to his stomach that was still hidden by the robe knot.

There was a beat of complete and utter silence, the bat family stunned into silence, save for Damian, who stayed silent by choice, before a low, horrible sound filled the air.

Laughter, humorless, deep laughter. Coming from Bruce.

" B?" Clark asked softly in concern while Damian and the rest of the Bat Family gazed at Bruce warily.

Bruce tampered off into a chuckle, a vicious smirk on his face as he looked at Clark with anger in his sense covered eyes.

" You must be well and truly desperate to get back into my good graces, coming up with this farce." Bruce said, the smirk evaporating off his face and his expression growing disgusted.

" No, no Bruce, it's not a farce, it's the truth." Clark said desperately, stepping closer only for Bruce to hold up an unforgiving hand.

" That's close enough." Bruce spat. He looked more than ready to exit.

" Bruce please, just let me explain. If you ever even thought of me as a friend, let alone loved me, please just stay and listen. Please." Clark said desperately.

" Talk." Bruce ordered coldly.

Letting out a deep, rattling breath, Clark turned and pressed his palm to the panel to activate Jor-El's hologram. The light came on and Jor-El appeared, clad in his white and blue robes.

" Greetings Bruce Wayne, greetings Bruce Wayne's children and surrogate father." The hologram said first.

"Hi." Cassandra replied with a wave of her hand, earning warm looks from everyone despite the seriousness of the situation.

After that, Clark asked his father to explain the dormant male uterus, and Jor-El obliged, basically tossing in the kitchen sink, complete with diagrams.

From where he stood and listened, Bruce's earlier ire was quickly becoming replaced with doubt, and then the sinking feeling. He kept himself carefully neutral and listened along with everyone else as Clark took over from Jor-El.

" I'll tell you what I told Damian." Clark said quietly before he took a deep breath and began to recount his tale.

How it had been a regular day at the Daily Planet when he had suddenly gotten ill and threw up. How he had gone home to rest only to scan himself with his x-ray vision and found something impossible in his belly. Then how he had come here to the Fortress where Jor-El had revealed this hidden ability of Kryptonian males.

It was here that a now shell-shocked looking Bruce stepped forward and cut it.

" You dropped by unexpectedly for dinner that night, after that we went down to the cave and you asked me what I thought about having more children." He said with sinking dread.

Dick, Tim, Jason, Cassandra, and Alfred were all watching this with wide eyes, while Damian on the other hand, just looked sad.

" I was going to surprise you." Clark confessed softly, averting his eyes to the floor, his eyes burning and his throat constricting painfully.

" I told I was done having any more children, that my four boys and one girl were more than enough for me, that I was barely father material. I made it clear to you that I didn't want any more kids." Bruce said quietly, all rage now replaced by a crushing, unforgiving guilt.

Clark just stayed tellingly silent.

Bruce looked past Clark for a moment, noticing a downcast looking Damian.

" Damian, you told me when you called me that I had made a huge mistake without even realizing it. This is it, isn't it? I unknowingly rejected the baby Clark has inside him, my baby." Bruce said, almost in a daze.

" Good lord." Alfred whispered in unabashed horror at the situation they all now found themselves in.

Damian found that he couldn't speak, and he didn't have to because Bruce understood, he understood the severity of the pain he had unintentionally inflicted on Clark.

Clark looked up and then stepped forward, gladdened when Bruce didn't stop him from coming closer this time. He came to stand about an arm's length away from the man he loved before he reached up and sought out the knot of his blue bathrobe. Bruce watched wordlessly, the other members of the bat family all stepping closer and surrounded Bruce and Clark as the Kryptonian finally undid the knot and pulled the robe open. He shrugged it off completely and let it fall to he floor, finally revealing his current form.

" Oh my God." Tim whispered in disbelief.

Despite the baggy shirt Clark was wearing, there was a definite rounded protrusion to his once insanely washboard stomach.

Clark did his best not to squirm under the many gazes leveled at him, at his bump. He looked at Bruce, who's face was unreadable under his cowl as the vigilante continued to stare at his newly found lover's belly. The silence seemed to last for ages and then the impasse was broken, by Cassandra.

The young girl rushed forward with a look of eager wonder on her face, reaching out and gently placing her hands onto Clark's stomach before anyone could stop her.

" Cas wait." Dick tried to say, while Jason made an aborted attempt to reach for her.

Clark looked down at Cassandra, feeling hope rise up inside him as he watched a slow, happy grin spread across her face as she "met" her unborn sibling much like Damian had done earlier.

Cassandra lightly stroked her hand across Clark's belly before she leaned in and spoke directly to the bump.

" Hi baby... I am your big sister." She said simply before she leaned the rest of the way in and gave Clark's baby bump a sweet little peck.

The next thing she knew, Cassandra was being lifted right off her feet and into a pair of warm, familiar arms as a tearful Clark picked her up and hugged her tight. Cassandra didn't hesitate as she wrapped her arms around Clark's shoulders and smiled at him.

" Hello Big Blue." She said.

" Hi Pretty Bat." Clark said thickly.

Cassandra promptly buried her face into Clark's neck and gave him a proper squeeze. Clark hugged Cassandra back gently, a few tears finally escaping him. Her quiet, simple gesture of acceptance had just about done Clark in. He looked up from her shoulder to see Dick smiling widely back at him, Tim looking eager to get close, and Jason subtly wiping something from under his mask. Damian himself stood beside Clark, sharing a soft smile with Cassandra who looked down at him warmly.

Bruce felt warmth spread through his whole body at seeing Clark and Cassandra's reunion, but it did not alleviate the other horrendous feelings that were swirling around inside him.

It was Alfred who came forward next, gesturing to Cassandra.

" Alright Miss. Cassandra that's enough, we have to be careful with Master Clark." The seasoned gentleman said gently.

Clark looked up at Alfred sharply, barely daring to hope as he reluctantly set back Cassandra down.

" It's really good to see you Alfred." Clark said quietly as he held out his hand to the Wayne family's loyal guardian.

Clark wanted nothing more than to tackle Alfred in a hug, but thought better of it, Alfred was Alfred after all. Alfred didn't hesitate as he reached out and accepted the offered hand, squeezing it firmly as he spoke.

" It is good to see you as well Master Clark, although I wish you hadn't left us in the first place." Alfred said, sending Clark a stern, reprimanding look that had Clark ducking his head.

" M'sorry Alfred, I never wanted to leave any of you." Clark said as he looked around the room, his eyes settling on Bruce who still stood their unmoving and unreadable.

" I just... I didn't know what to do." Clark whispered.

" You could have come to us, you should have come to us!" Jason said angrily as he stepped forward and glared at Clark.

Damian moved to intervene but Clark held up his hand, sending him a warm look before he growing serious again and facing Jason.

" Yeah, Bruce was a jerk, but what about the rest of us huh? We didn't reject this kid, you didn't even bother to tell us." Jason seethed.

" I know Jace, and I am sorry but please understand, I haven't even told my Ma and Pa about any of this." Clark explained.

This made Jason pause in his anger for a moment, knowing that even Martha and Johnathan Kent had been left out of the loop about their son's extraordinary circumstances. Pursing his lips and trying to keep up an air of not caring, Jason blew out a breath and then scoffed.

" You are still in deep shit Superjerk." Jason declared.

" I know, so how can I start making it up to you guys?" Clark asked, the corner of his mouth twitching up into a half-smile as he looked between Jason, Dick, and Tim.

" Dibs on being Godfather." Jason said succinctly, which of course set off Dick and Tim.

" Hey who made you the boss here? If anyone's gonna be SuperBat Baby's Godfather it's me." Dick declared as he stepped forward and glared at Jason.

Clark let out a small bark of laughter at the creative nickname Dick had just christened his baby with, but he liked it, and it was an accurate description after all, this was the offspring of Superman and Batman.

" Uh-uh, a Godfather's gotta have brains, and that certainly rules the two of you out." Tim declared as he joined the verbal jousting.

Clark found himself grinning wide as he watched Bruce's eldest sons bickering among themselves about who would be the best candidate as Godfather to his child. There was no tearful hugging or words, just acceptance by the simple showing that they all wanted to be his unborn child's Godfather.

" Little Bird." Clark said, catching Dick's attention with the childhood nickname.

The Man of Steel and Nightwing gazed at each other for a long time, neither saying a word. Then Dick stepped forward, closing the distance between them and gently wrapping his arms around Clark.

" I am still mad at you, but we're gonna be okay Supes." Dick said quietly into Clark's ear.

" Thank you, God I missed you so much Little Bird." Clark replied just as softly.

They drew back, Dick clearing his throat lightly and nodding. But no sooner had he stepped aside, Tim was there for his own hug.

" Hey Red Bird." Clark said as he smiled down at the teenager.

" Hey." Tim said simply before he reached down and gave Clark's stomach a gentle pat.

" Hey little one, I'm one of your big brothers." Tim said quietly before his face crumbled a little.

" Sorry." Tim whispered.

" It's okay." Clark assured as he reached out and cupped Tim's cheek for a moment.

Sniffling lightly, Tim nodded and stepped back to join Dick.

This left Clark facing Bruce's most wayward son. Jason came forward, a serious look in his face behind the domino mask. They gazed at each other, Clark sad, Jason unreadable like his adoptive father. Then the young man with the streak of white in his hair seemed to sigh. Jason was then stepping forward and carefully wrapping his arms around a stunned Clark. Clark stood gawking for a moment before he quickly wrapped his arms around Jason and hugged him back.

" He's been a goddamn terror these last two months and we've all been miserable because of it, and because we missed you. Cut the bullshit and fix this damn it." Jason whispered.

He drew away before Clark could say anything and stepped past him, sending Bruce a stern look before he came to stand beside Damian and Cassandra, playfully flicking Damian's cheek and earning a growl from the now the second youngest of Bruce's children, while wrapping his arm around Cassandra's shoulders.

Everyone grew alert when Bruce finally stepped forward, pausing to pick Clark's discarded robe up off the floor before making his way to Clark. He wordlessly held the robe up and open to the Kryptonian. Feeling shy and deeply unsure, Clark nodded wordlessly before he stepped backwards and smoothly looped his arms into the robe's sleeves, feeling his heart skip a beat when Bruce gently pulled it up the rest of the way over his still muscular shoulders. Once he had the robe on, Clark turned to face Bruce again. They regarded each other, the silence awkward and charged between them until Bruce made the first move. He slowly pulled off his leather glove and reached out towards Clark, telegraphing his movements and giving Clark every chance to voice any objection. Clark had none however, eagerly leaning into Bruce's hand as it came to cup his cheek.

" B." Clark whispered softly, shutting his eyes and gritting his teeth at the first contact he had had with the man he loved in months.

" Clark I... I'm..." Bruce tried to speak, but he himself was overwhelmed. Taking a deep breath, he forced himself back into some semblance of control as he spoke.

" Clark could you just take care of everyone? I just need some time." He said quietly.

Clark couldn't help the flare of disappointment, but he shoved that aside, understanding completely. Bruce had basically just had a bomb dropped on him, and he needed some time to process it.

" Of course B, take as long as you need. Just know that I am done running, I am done hiding." Clark said firmly, his blue eyes going to Damian and sending the boy a warm, grateful look.

Damian looked away, feeling a bit shy in front of everyone.

" Okay... Okay, thank you." Bruce said with a nod as he reluctantly withdrew his hand from Clark's cheek and turned sharply on his heels. He started walking towards the mouth of the first corridor he spoke. Just before he could disappear around the curve of the corridor, Bruce stopped and looked over his shoulder.

There before the hologram of Jor-El and the main computer was his family, all standing together whole, and with a newly revealed member currently gestating within his Kryptonian. With a lingering look, Bruce strode away with purpose.

Clark watched Bruce go till he was out of sight before he turned to the rest of the Bat Family and forced a smile onto his face.

" C'mon you guys, let's all have a snack, or we could just full out do dinner. We have a lot to catch up on." Clark said as he gestured for everyone to follow him.

There were several noises of agreement from Bruce's brood, while Alfred simply nodded as they followed after Clark. Clark paused for a moment to look to Kelex.

" Kelex, please keep an eye on Bruce, but give him his space." He ordered.

" As you command Kal-El." Kelex replied.

" Thanks." Clark said before he proceeded down the corridor next to the main computer, intending to lead Bruce's children and surrogate father to the Fortress' dining hall.

Kelex beeped softly and then floated away down the same corridor Bruce had disappeared through earlier, keeping a sedate pace and a good distance as Clark had ordered.

Bruce didn't know for how long he wandered through the snowy, crystal halls. He just wandered with his mind replaying the days earth shattering revelations.

Clark was pregnant.

His male lover was pregnant, with his child.

A child that he had unknowingly rejected.

As he walked, Bruce felt self-loathing and shame wash over him. Looking back on their conversation in the cave two months ago, Bruce was kicking himself. He was supposed to be the world's greatest detective, yet it was only now in hindsight that he remembered how Clark's face had looked after he had staunchly rejected even the simple idea of having more children. The Kryptonian had hid it well, plastering on a smile and even kissing him fervently, but there had been quiet devastation in those deep blue eyes, a devastation that Bruce had caused.

He was still a little angry with Clark for just walking away like he had, for still not going ahead and telling him about the child, their child. But as he came to stand before the tall and imposing crystal statutes of Lara and Jor-El holding a resplendent glowing globe between them, Bruce couldn't find it in him to blame Clark all that much for withdrawing from everything as he had. He was a man, an other worldly alien yes, but also a man, and he had just found out that not only could the males of his species get pregnant, but his body had gone ahead and reached said state. He must have been terrified and upset, and Bruce had ended up making him feel even more alone. As he had told Jason just now, Clark hadn't even told his parents about this.

Bruce let out a weary sigh and then reached up to push his cowl off his face. Letting go of his rigid control for a moment, Bruce wearily made his way over to the shared base of the statues of Clark's long dead birth parents and sank down onto it. Letting out a shaky breath, Bruce slumped where he sat and held his head in his hands. His vision grew blurry and the salty tears fell free without shame.

A moment of weakness, a moment of feeling completely and totally overwhelmed with guilt and fear. He could allow himself this much as he sniffled quietly to himself.

Several feet away, hidden by the curve of the corridor that had led to the statues, Kelex floated silently, staying close but giving Bruce his privacy, faithful and vigilant as always.

 ** _Half an hour later, on a open corridor that overlooked the Fortress dining hall..._**

Bruce felt a small, warm smile spread across his face as he gazed down below at the large, circular crystal and metal dining table in the center of the dining hall. Down below, all of Bruce's children sat around the table, while both Clark and Alfred went about doting on them.

Bruce watched as a smiling Clark set a giant, heaping bowl of what appeared to be chicken and penne pasta down in front of Cassandra, who grinned back at him widely before tucking in with gusto.

For all of her slight size, Bruce Wayne's adopted girl could eat, a lot.

" How's the curry Damian?" Clark asked as he observed the current Robin lightly tucking in to his own plate of naan bread and vegetable curry with yogurt.

" Agreeable." Damian answered with a nod.

Clark's smile widened, because coming from Damian, the boy may as well have said that the curry was first class.

Bruce turned his gaze to his other three boys. Jason was having a burger with fries and coleslaw, Dick had a personal pan pizza all to himself, and Tim was indulging in some sushi.

" Alright Master Clark, it's time you had a seat and partook in dinner yourself." Alfred said sternly.

" But Alfred, I'd like to wait for Bruce." Clark replied as he came to stand between Tim and Jason.

" There's no need, I am here." Came Bruce's voice, everyone looking up to the ledge where Bruce was standing.

" B." Clark grinned, watching along with everyone as Bruce spread his cape and leaped down from the ledge, cutting graceful arch through the air and landing perfectly on his feet.

God, Clark had missed Bruce.

Dick clapped indulgently while Tim chuckled. Cassandra and Damian simply went back to eating while Jason scoffed with a mouthful of coleslaw as he spoke.

" Course you're gonna wanna impress your super-baby man-mama." He teased good-naturedly Bruce.

" Stop talking with your mouth full." Bruce replied flatly, sounding just like the long suffering father that he was.

Clark threw his head back and laughed at the banter between father and son until Bruce all but herded him into an empty chair.

Once they were both seated, Alfred was on them, asking them both what they wanted for dinner. Clark was reluctant to be waited on but there was no stopping Alfred Pennyworth no matter what setting he was in.

Clark asked for a spinach, strawberry, and chicken salad, smiling when Bruce opted for the same. He Tok it as a good sign. Alfred had nodded and headed off to the nearby fabricator to prepare the meals. Bruce pushed his cowl off of his face, revealing himself to Clark. Clark lightly bit his lip, his eyes filling for a second as he beheld Bruce's actually face now. The pair gazed at each other, wanting to say so much, but staying silent and simply taking each other in.

Bruce looked tired too, a little bit of stubble gracing his face, but his eyes were warm, if still somewhat guarded.

Alfred returned with two bowls of savory sweet salad and set them down in front of the reunited, unexpectedly expectant parents.

" Alfred, join us." Bruce ordered simply, smirking a little when Alfred shifted uncomfortably before sighing in acquiescence and nodding.

The Wayne family's resident den mother fixed himself a simple meal of pot roast with rice and then joined everyone at the table.

Dinner was lively, with Clark asking each and every person at his table how they were and about their personal happenings over those two months he had exiled himself to the Fortress.

The general gist of it was that Gotham's criminal element never stopped coming up with hair brained schemes, and Bruce and his brood were always there to foil their dastardly plots, but they had all been missing a certain Man of Steel and his warmth.

Bruce stayed a bit mum, feeling guilting for being so unpleasant towards everyone in his unhappiness. They ate and laughed at each other's antics, Bruce almost needing to step in and stop Damian from leaping across the table to clobber Dick for teasing him about almost falling off a building a month prior while he and Bruce had been taking down Poison Ivy and her newest creation, henchman she had grown from the humble cucumbers one would find in the grocery store.

Inevitably, dinner came to an end and Bruce gathered everyone to him in front of the Fortress' zeta beam pad.

" Alfred, get everyone back to the manor." Bruce said to Alfred before he turned to his children.

Looking pointedly at Damian, he spoke.

" It's a school night and the rest of you undoubtedly have busy schedules to keep, so don't give Alfred a hard time. And Damian, dear son of mine, count your blessings that I've chosen not to ground you for cutting school today, giving the circumstances." Bruce said sternly as he eyes went to Clark's stomach for a second.

Jason rolled his eyes but nodded, while Dick chuckled and Tim smirked. Cassandra nodded in agreement while Damian simply said "Tt."

From where he stood next to Bruce, Clark smiled warmly at the bat family, feeling more peaceful than he had in weeks. Before they all headed for the transport pad, Cassandra once again started the chain as she rushed forward and hugged Clark carefully, even kissing his stomach again. Clark nearly lost it again at the gesture but managed to keep it together as Cassandra withdrew to go an say goodbye to Bruce and Dick came forward next, hugging him and placing a gentle hand on his bump.

" See you soon little guy." Dick said before he withdrew.

Then came Tim said his goodbye's to Clark's bump first before giving Clark a hug. Next was Jason, who gave Clark a quick hug, looking a little stiff and embarrassed, but otherwise pleased before he took his leave.

Finally, Damian stepped forward. Bruce and the others watched as Clark stepped forward to meet Bruce's now second youngest and knelt down before him. It was a surreal sight to behold, especially for Bruce as he watched Clark smile at a serious faced Damian as he spoke.

" I'm glad that you didn't get grounded Damian, but don't make a habit of cutting class. As cheesy as it sounds, school actually is pretty important." Clark said with a chuckle before he surprised everyone else by reaching out and gently taking the boy's face into his large hands. What stunned everyone further was that Damian allowed the gentle, fatherly touch from the man he had so often antagonized and insulted.

" I am really glad you came Damian, I am really glad you found me and you listened. We wouldn't all be here now if it weren't for you, so thank you Damian, thank so much." Clark said softly, meaning it whole heartedly.

Bruce watched in astonishment as Damian nodded mutely, his lips pursing lightly like he was fighting something back as he turned his face further into one of Clark's hands, leaning into the touch for a fleeting moment before silently stepping back from Clark. When the Kryptonian stood back up, Damian reached out and placed his hand to Clark's bump. Clark smiled down at Damian and felt something flutter inside him, it may have been a feeling in his heart or the baby, he couldn't be sure, but it did serve to put him a little more at ease as he realized that soon, he and Bruce would be alone here at the Fortress, finally facing each other fully. Damian then stepped away from Clark and looked to Bruce who was standing a few feet away. Damian made his way over to Bruce and looked up at him.

" I shall see you when you and Clark return to the manor. Be well father." He said simply.

Without saying a word, Bruce reached out and placed his hand on top of Damian's head, keeping it there for a moment and nodding. Damian then stepped away and joined his siblings on the zeta beam pad, ignoring the curiously looks they were giving him.

Alfred was the last to step forward, shaking hands with Clark as he spoke.

" Today is a day I shall not be forgetting anytime soon. It was good to see you Master Clark and may I offer you my most sincere congratulations at the true miracle you have conceived with Master Bruce." Alfred said simply, his expression infallible as always, but his weathered eyes warm as they gazed at Clark.

" Thank you Alfred, and it was great to see you as well." Clark said with his own eyes warm towards the British gentleman.

Alfred nodded before he leaned in closer to Alfred.

" You would do well to placate Master Bruce as much as possible, he has been absolutely bereft without you. Please be considerate of his apprehensions. You know how he is." The older man said quietly.

" I promise you I will." Clark whispered assuredly.

Alfred nodded and took his leave of Clark, making his way over to Bruce.

" Master Bruce, congratulations to you as well. Though there has been a bit of a misstep, I trust that you and Master Clark will sort things out." Alfred said confidently as he shook hands with Bruce, before he leaned in to speak more clandestinely.

" Please be considerate of Master Clark, not only because of his unique circumstances, but because yours were not the only feelings that were trampled on Sir."

Bruce pursed his lips but nodded to Alfred, watching as the man who raised him after he had lost his parent smartly zipped up his jacket and then strode up onto the Zeta transport pad.

" Goodnight gentlemen, we shall see you again when we are meant to." Alfred said by means of farewell as Bruce reached for the button on his gauntlet to activate the zeta beam and Clark waved at them wordlessly.

In a pulsing beam of white light, Alfred and his young charges vanished from the Fortress, leaving Clark and Bruce to each other, at last.

The silence after the zeta beam's hum died down was deafening. Taking a deep breath, Clark forced himself to turn around and face Bruce. He gazed at Bruce, who looked unreadable and grim even with his signature cowl off. Bruce for his part, silently made his way across the frosty floor of the Fortress, closing the distance between him and Clark. The crunching of the snow beneath his heavy boots was overly loud in his own ears as he came to stand about an arm's length from his pregnant lover.

For a life age, they stared at each other, not saying a word, Clark not really knowing what to say. It was Bruce who finally broke the impasse.

" You've gotta be tired after the day we've had. Come on, let's go to your room." Bruce said quietly, gesturing for Clark to go ahead of him.

" Y-Yeah." Clark whispered as he stepped past Bruce and led the way to his private chambers.

The walk was made in total silence, where countless other time even before they had entered into a romantic relationship, they had bantered and laughed with each other through these same crystal white halls.

Inevitably they reached the arched crystal doors to Clark's private rooms here at the Fortress. The doors fell away for him without need of the access code. Clark gestured for Bruce step inside first, the vigilante frowning but putting up no protest as he stepped over the threshold into the pseudo-apartment. Steadying his fraying nerves and feeling his heart pounding against his sternum, Clark stepped over the threshold himself. The doors smoothly slid shut in his wake and he turned to face. No sooner had he turned, a pair of hands were pressing him back gently into the closed crystal doors.

" Bruce?" Clark whispered, putting up no resistance as his back pressed up against the cool crystal and Bruce held him in place gently, but firmly.

Bruce gazed at Clark, his eyes alight not with rage, but yearning.

" Clark." Bruce whispered back, before he all but lunged forward and covered Clark's unsuspecting lips with his own in a deep, soul-searing kiss.

Clark let out a muffled yelp of shock against Bruce's lips, wide-eyed and not truly comprehending what was happening at first. But when it dawned on him that Bruce was kissing him, that it was Bruce's lips on his own, all coherent thought evaporated from Clark's mind.

With a broken, guttural noise, Clark melted against Bruce. His eyes fluttered shut and he blindly reached up and wrapped his arms around Bruce, clinging to the silky material of his signature cape. He kissed Bruce back feverishly, ravenous for the feel of his beloved's lips. Bruce let out a deep rumble, feeling something that had been aching inside him for the past two months finally healing. Without breaking the kiss, Bruce lightly tugged Clark away from the doors and further into the room. Clark went willingly, letting Bruce pull him wherever he wanted, reaching up and burying one of his hands into Bruce's dark, silky hair, the nerve endings in his fingers actually tingling at the contact after going without for so long. Bruce wanted to squeeze Clark as tight as he could, to just feel him in his arms and never let go, but he refrained.

It didn't matter to him that Clark was basically indestructible, that he was probably still indestructible even in his current state, Bruce would be damned if he mishandled Clark in any way. He had already done that plenty when he had allowed his insecurities and fears to basically behave like a jerk and reject their child, even if it had been unknowingly.

Bruce carefully pulled Clark across the chamber into the bedroom area, taking him towards the bed. When the need for air became too much for even Bruce to ignore, they broke apart with a gasp. Their faces were flushed and they were both breathing hard. Wordlessly, Bruce gestured for Clark to get on the bed. Clark obliged, reluctantly letting go of Bruce and quickly climbing onto the bed. He sat on his knees and waited as he watched Bruce pull of his gloves and gauntlets, and then undo the buckles on his boots and shed them before doing the same to his cape and belt, leaving the cape to pool on the floor and dropping his, gloves, gauntlets, and gold utility belt onto the plush chair Clark kept by the bed. After partially disassembling Batman, Bruce climbed onto the bed, joining Clark. Clark immediately reached for him but Bruce held his wrists and stopped him, looking deathly serious. Clark was crestfallen, but he nodded in understanding. They had shared a kiss of reunion, but now they really needed to finally talk. Bruce released Clark's wrists, but then took the Kryptonian's hands into his own as he spoke.

" You should've told me Clark." Bruce said quietly.

" I know I should have, but after what you said about being done having kids, I just... I felt so alone and scared. I didn't know what to do, or where to turn." Clark said softly as he averted his gaze.

" Did you try to terminate the pregnancy?" Bruce asked steadily.

Clark was silent for a telling moment before he shook his head.

" I looked up procedures from the Fortress' database but I couldn't even get through the first line before I was shutting it off. I couldn't do it to myself, I couldn't do that to you." Clark answered truthfully.

Bruce nodded, feeling a wave of relief despite the fact that Clark still pregnant right before his eyes.

" You left." Bruce said softly, accusing.

" I know, and I shouldn't have, but I didn't think I could stay. I didn't want to burden you with this Bruce, not when you said you didn't want anymore kids. This baby matters to me a lot Bruce, but what you want matters to me too. And besides that, the moment I found about this child and decided that I was going to keep him, I had to stop being Superman. I couldn't risk getting hit with a face-full of Kryptonite or fight off the things I usually do. I still have all my powers and I'm still basically indestructible, but the second I found out about this baby, I couldn't just think of myself anymore. I just got so scared." Clark explained, whispering the last part as he looked down at his stomach.

Bruce nodded, and simply took a moment to gaze at Clark. The paleness had faded from his features and the dark circles had grown a bit less pronounced. In the light of the chamber, he looked exquisite.

" I am still mad at you Clark, but I understand why you did what you did. But you're wrong about what I want. Even if this child never came into being, I still would have loved to have kids with you Clark." Bruce said.

Clark looked up sharply at Bruce's revelation, his expression stunned.

" Wha... Bruce? If that's what you really wanted then why the Hell did you say that you didn't?" Clark asked indignantly.

" I just got scared too." Bruce said with a lopsided, self-deprecating smile.

" Why Bruce? You're great at being a dad." Clark asked in confusion, watching as Bruce actually sputtered a little and scoffed.

" Great? Are you kidding me? I am a criminal, a vigilante who is only lauded as a hero because I helped some people out and helped save the world a few times. All five of my kids know how to brutally beat the shit out of people. My second oldest fucking died at the hands of my greatest enemy and then he got resurrected by my crazy ex's even crazier father and went on a Goddamn killing spree to get revenge on me, to show me that everything I stand for was a crock of crap. My girl killed a man with her fingers when she was just eight years old, and God only knowns what kind of madness Damian was subjected to with Talia raising him for the first eight years of his life. I even alienated Dick and Tim from me for years. Are your hormones messing with your mind right now Boy Scout?" Bruce asked crossly.

Bruce watched incredulously as Clark's face split into a wide, mega-watt grin as he chuckled softly.

Yeah, the Kryptonian's brain much be addled.

Clark shook his head before he gaze Bruce's hands a firm squeeze and spoke.

" You are one of the best father's I have ever met Bruce Wayne. Yes, I have witnessed many of the screw ups, but at the end of the day, those five kids are heroes that I am damn proud to say that I love them very much. Just look at what happened today. Damian risked a whole lot to come here to look for me all by himself on your behalf, and when he found me, yeah he was pissed six ways to Hell, called me a liar and a coward for leaving you, and after I told him that I am pregnant, he accused me of stealing the baby from you. The Damian I first met would have buried Kryptonite in my face after that, but instead he actually stopped and listened to what I had to say, he gave me a chance, and that was because of you, because of the better path you set him on." Clark said with conviction before he continued.

" On top of that, when you came here you didn't come alone. Damian asked you to bring the entire family here, and _everyone_ showed up, even Jason. Don't you see Bruce? They love you enough to come all the way to the Arctic, and they've already accepted this baby into the fold, our baby, yours and mine. So I think you've done an okay job of being a Dad B." Clark finished before he sighed and pulled his hands away from Bruce's.

Bruce, already overwhelmed by Clark's sublimely kind words of, grew even more overwhelmed as Clark shifted closed and then reached for the hem of his T-shirt, pulling the cotton up and away to reveal his protruding stomach.

Clark looked up at Bruce, pinning him with a look as he spoke.

" Your daughter and your sons all beat you to the punch, so come on Bruce Wayne, come meet your new baby." He said firmly, holding no room for argument.

Bruce had faced off against many a formidable enemy, from the Joker, to Mr. Freeze, but none of those battles could compare to the icy cold terror he felt now as he took a deep breath and forced himself to move. Clark waited patiently, smiling softly at his beloved as he watched Bruce slowly, tentatively reach out towards him. Letting out a shaky breath, Bruce finally closed he distance and placed his bare hands to Clark's stomach.

Bruce let out a soft gasp before he could stop himself, his eyes riveted and his whole being mesmerized as he felt the bump. It was so soft and warm, the impenetrable skin warm and taught beneath his palms.

" Oh my God." Bruce whispered reverently.

Clark grinned warmly at Bruce, feeling his own eyes burn. He valiantly blinked back the tears until Bruce surprised him by leaned down and taking a page out of Cassandra's book, pressing his lips to the top of Clark's baby bump. Then Bruce spoke directly to the bump and Clark forgot all thought about staying composed.

" Hi, I'm your other dad, and contrary to what I said... umm." Bruce trailed off, needed a second before he sniffed and continued.

" I do want you. Forgive me for saying that I was done having kids, for making you feel like you weren't wanted. We are gonna have you, and I promise I am gonna take care of you and your ukr (Father)." Bruce declared softly.

Bruce looked up when a small, warm droplet fell on his own cheek and saw that Clark was gazing down at him with tearful blue eyes, deeply touched that Bruce had used some Kryptonese. Smiling crookedly, Bruce reluctantly drew away from Clark's belly and sat up. Letting out a shaky breath, Bruce spoke.

" I thought you stopped loving me." He said quietly, showing that vulnerability he reserved only for those closest to him.

Clark looked absolutely stricken as he took Bruce's face into his hands and shook his head.

" _Never_." Clark said with conviction before he smiled and continued.

" You never stopped having me B, even in all these weeks that we've been apart. You've ruined me for anyone else remember? You get to keep me even when I am not by your side." Clark whispered as he stroked his thumb across Bruce's lower lip, repeating those words he had said from some bygone night where they had made love to each other.

" Good to know." Bruce said succinctly before he promptly wrapped his arms around Clark and pressed his lips to the Kryptonian's in a deep, gentle kiss.

Clark's entire being seemed to sigh as he kissed Bruce back, almost crawling right into the man's lap as he wrapped his arms around Bruce's shoulders. Their deep kiss quietly tapered off into soft, smaller kissed, the both of them speaking in between them.

" Don't ever leave like that again"

Kiss.

" I swear on our baby that I won't."

Kiss.

" But you have to promise not to lie me about what you really want Bruce."

Kiss.

" I promise, I swear."

Kiss.

" I love you, I love you Clark, with you gone I never thought I would get the chance to say it."

Kiss.

" You never needed to say it, I knew then, I know now. But thank you so much, I love you too Bruce."

Kiss.

All conversation ceased after that, as Bruce gently tilted sideways, taking Clark with him as he lowered them onto the bed. A few moments later, more articles of clothing stared to join Bruce's cape and boots on the floor. The upper half of Bruce's body armor with the Bat symbol emblazoned across the chest, falling to the floor with a soft thunk. A plain blue bathrobe came next, followed by a large white t-shirt. Then the lower half of Bruce's body armor with another thunk, followed by a pair of well worn sweat pants. The very last items to litter the floor were a pair of plain white boxers and a pair of black silk boxer briefs.

Soft, happy noises emanated from the bed thereafter for a long, long time. After all, there was two months worth of contact that needed to be made up for.

 ** _Several hours later, well into the night and with Clark's personal chamber dimmed..._**

Clark sighed as he slept peacefully, his face smooth and unworried in repose. He lay on his side with the bedsheets pooled around his waist. Spooned up behind him, Bruce was still wide awake, propped up on his elbow and holding Clark close as he gazed at the Kryptoian's sleeping countenance with a thoughtful expression on his own handsome features.

For weeks now all Bruce had had to sustain him were the pictures and videos he had on his computer, and his own memories. Now he had Clark in his arms after honestly believing that he would never see the Kryptonian ever again. With a small sigh, Bruce gently tightened the arm he had around Clark's waist, his hand coming to rest protectively over Clark's lightly rounded stomach. Out of everything he thought would happen in the off chance that he actually would see Clark again, finding Clark somehow pregnant with his child, and with Damian himself defending him had been the most out of left field experience of his whole life, and he had experience a lot.

Bruce was gently shaken from his musings as a warm, familiar hand covered his own over Clark's stomach and intwined their fingers together as Clark's sleepy voice sounded.

" Go to sleep already Caped Crusader."

Bruce snorted lightly but did as he was told, lowering himself back down onto the bed. He looped his other arm under Clark's neck and pressing himself flush against Clark's smooth, bare back. He rubbed his cheek against the back of Clark's neck as he spoke.

" Fine Boy Scout, but you're still showing me that scan in the morning. And after that you're packing things up here and coming back to the manor." He said firmly.

" So bossy. I love you anyway." Clark said cheekily, smiling without opening his eyes.

" I love you too." Bruce said unguardedly as he pressed a kiss to Clark's hair, earning a soft hum of approval from the other man before feeling the Kryptonian sigh and then drift off back to deep sleep.

As he felt the tug of Hypnos himself, Bruce sobered a little from his contentedness. For hours they had laid in this bed and re-familiarized themselves with each other. Now in the quiet, the peaceful aftermath of their reunion, Bruce pondered the future.

They were by no means back to 100%. They had broken each other's hearts, the trust between them not shattered, but well-cracked. And the same went for Clark's relationship with Dick, Jason, Tim, Cassandra, and Damian, Hell even Alfred. Not destroyed, but in need of some serious damage control. They had much to mend and much to still process.

Most important of which was that in about seven months, they would be bringing a child into this world, an actual child that would be half Bruce, half Clark.

They had much work left to do, they even had the terrifying task of informing both Clark's parents and the other members of the Justice League about this new and absolutely unbelievable development in their relationship. Add on to this the risk that both Clark and Batman's amassed assemblage of enemies posed, they truly had a long road ahead of them.

As he drifted off to sleep with Clark back in his arms, Bruce made a silent vow to the man he loved, and their baby that he was carrying. It would be a long and winding road, but it would be one Bruce would gladly traverse a thousand times over, he would guard Clark, their baby, their family, and friends with his life.

He was Batman after all, all he needed was a little prep time.

 **The End.**


End file.
